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Feis Cup Round 1

Friday 26th June 2009, Ballinlough

Full-Time; Donaghmore/Ashbourne 3-9 Ballinlough 0-4
Half-Time; Donaghmore/Ashbourne 1-5 Ballinlough 0-0

Ballinlough have been building strongly in the Intermediate football championship. Donaghmore/Ashbourne have struggled in the Senior football championship. All the signs were there for an upset on this wet evening in Ballinlough.
Ballinlough started brightly as the courteous welcome to the east Meath visitors was quickly dispelled. They dominated midfield in the early stages and their defence was providing ample supply forward to attack. The Intermediate side were unable to capatlise on this however as it was Donaghmore/Ashbourne who opened the scoring on 4 minutes through Eoin Carroll. Ballinlough continued to set the pace and some dogged work at midfield kept the visitors fighting for possession. Still they could not find their reward on the scoreboard. Eoin Reilly pointed from the 45 metre line before Tadhg Kelly penetrated the hosts defence to open a 3 point gap on 15 minutes. At this point Donaghmore/Ashbourne had gained control. Eoin Carroll added a further point on 19 minutes and shortly after found the net on 22 minutes. The home side were now 7 points in arrears but were still well in the tie. Their lack of efficiency infront of the posts was costing them dear and Donaghmore/Ashbourne closed out the half with a point from Eoin Reilly.

Donaghmore/Ashbourne didn’t waste anytime after the break putting this tie beyond the hosts. A goal on 35 minutes from Andrew Tormey followed by a point from pacey corner forward Ciaran Ellis had the visitors in the driving seat. Rory O’Connor was battling for possession at midfield while Ciaran Finn and Sean Curran were superb in defence. Curran was making excursions forward and this produced another point for the east Meath side on 45 mins. By this point Ballinlough had registered their opening two scores of the game. They were well in this game in terms of possession but could not find their range infront of the posts. Andrew Tormey and Tadhg Kelly responded with a brace on 48 and 50 minutes. The score of the game came on 55 minutes from the boot of substitute Rory Maguire. He gathered the ball on the left wing and following a run towards goal angled a shot around the advancing keeper to find the net. This was a fine score and was the final nail in the coffin for the home side. They continued to battle right to the end and were rewarded with two more points.

Donaghmore/Ashbourne will be very satisfied with this performance as results like this have evaded them recently. Each of the Donaghmore/Ashbourne scores bar one came from play and there is much encouragement in the performance of some of the non regulars on the senior panel. Ballinlough can look positively on the amount of possession won but will rue the many scoring chances not taken. Greater effectiveness infront of the posts could have yielded a more positive result for Ballinlough.

Donaghmore/Ashbourne – P Durkan; M Lynch, C McGill, S Curran (0-1); C Finn, C O’Mealoid, J Finnegan; R O’Connor, T Kelly (0-2); E Carroll (1-2), E Reilly (0-2), I O’Donnell; C Ellis (0-1), A Tormey (1-1), J Long.
Subs - S Harmon for Long (30 mins), R Maguire (1-0) for Carroll (45 mins), E Callaghan for O’Donnell (45 mins), S Kavanagh for Tormey (52 mins), K Scally for Ellis (55 mins).
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